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NeoLemmix => NeoLemmix Levels => In Development => Topic started by: Colorful Arty on February 14, 2017, 04:50:34 AM

Title: ArtLems (Cancelled)
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 14, 2017, 04:50:34 AM
Happy Lemmings Day everyone! In commemoration of this occasion, I have decided to reveal the true nature of the levelpack I have been making. The name of the pack is ArtLems, and it truly is a pack unlike any other.

This pack doesn't just give you levels that get progressively harder. This pack actually takes you through the various art periods that have occurred throughout history! Each rank is a different art period, and all the levels in the given rank take on the visual characteristics of that art period. The music for each level in a rank also comes from that art period, or at least sounds like the music from that period. Here's a brief overview of the different ranks.


Ancient

The oldest of the art periods. Here, the levels are modeled after ancient civilizations and structures, as well as scenes of nature untouched by intelligent life. Since there is no music existing from this time period, all of the songs from this rank are simply reminiscent of the settings of the levels themselves. A few of these are advanced tutorial levels, but you'll get plenty of simple puzzles as well.

(https://i.imgur.com/7HHXyau.png)
Byzantine's Temple of the Lion


Medieval

The time has come for more lush landscapes and plenty of castles! The Medieval period is home to fortresses with beautiful architecture and a few rather simple, religious art pieces. The music is reminiscent of Medieval times with lots of flutes and lutes, as well as a few old religious chants. These levels start fairly simple, but quickly picks up in difficulty, giving players more challenging and interesting puzzles.

(https://i.imgur.com/taOmPps.png)
Castle Crawl


Renaissance

And now, the dark ages have ended, bringing us into the golden age of art and music! The levels have beautiful, yet simple landscapes, and stunning architecture even more gorgeous than those from the Medieval period! Religious themes still exist, and can be expressed in even more detail now, and terrain mixing is far more prevalent. The music too has gotten more beautiful, with classical music taken from Thomas Tallis, Giovanni Gabrieli, and other great Renaissance composers. The solutions are also beautiful and refined, if a bit difficult.

(https://i.imgur.com/EeNfyMy.png)
Terramort


Baroque

A far more elegant and ornate style than the Renaissance period. The Baroque period features art that is more grandiose and emotional than the Renaissance period. Bold colors are used to create contrasts, and elements of nature show up in the architecture. The levels themselves tend to be larger, with lots of decorative terrain. The music is also more elegant and complex than the Renaissance music, and many pieces from Bach and Vivaldi will grace the levels' presence. As for the levels themselves, the solutions are more complex and often require mild to medium multitasking.

(https://i.imgur.com/yMGXTrS.png)
Playing in the winter


NeoClassical

Here we start to see the contrasts in the art periods much better. NeoClassicism, or Classicism when talking about the music, differs greatly from the Baroque period. Scenes are more simple, shapes are more natural, and everything follows specific guidelines and rules, reflecting the changes happening in the world, as people become more focused on logic and reason than religious faith. Mozart and Beethoven are the stars of the music world now, and the pieces composed expound on the newly found range of the instruments, while still being quite natural and easy on the ears. Be prepared for even more intricate solutions now, and some deep thinking.

(https://i.imgur.com/wADECto.png)
For Elise


Romantic

Just as NeoClassicism contrasted Baroque art, Romanticism differs still more greatly from NeoClassicism. Romanticism focuses on emotion more than anything else, in both the art and music. Orchestras are getting bigger, songs are getting more complex and intense, and landscapes are breathtaking in their beauty. Each level attempts to convey a great variety of emotions, and puzzles are getting harder still, with larger levels being the norm.

(https://i.imgur.com/RbMril3.png)
A Night on Lem Mountain


Modern & Beyond

We have reached the final art periods now, and anything goes. Art is unpredictable, has no rules, and can take on any shape or form. Innovation and originality are the primary focus now! Experimentation is used in graphic sets, and not always in the pretty way. Music has been digitized and fully-evolved, with a larger variety of sounds and instruments now available. These puzzles are the hardest this pack has to offer. Best of luck to you all, because by the end, I am holding nothing back.

(https://i.imgur.com/Sel4Jsq.png)
Art's Abstraction
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 14, 2017, 04:51:18 AM
I'll modify this post to keep the level count updated.

Ancient: 16/20 levels
Medieval: 13/20 levels
Renaissance: 6/20 levels
Baroque: 5/20 levels
NeoClassical: 3/20 levels
Romantic: 3/20 levels
Modernist: 10/20 levels

Total: 56/140 levels
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 14, 2017, 04:52:00 AM
If anyone has any classical music they'd really like in the pack, let me know! I may end up creating a level around it!

I am also looking for people to volunteer help make custom art for the menu background, logo, rank cards, that kind of thing. PM me if you want to help!

Classical music I am already using in this pack:

Renaissance Era:
Baroque Era:
Classical Era:
Romantic Era:

Modernist Era:
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Gronkling on February 14, 2017, 06:04:33 PM
what a cute idea! is this going to just focus on western classical art or is there going to be art/music from other cultures? i don't know much classical music (from anywhere) though
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Ron_Stard on February 14, 2017, 06:15:17 PM
Impressive graphics and design! I suggest you the famous "Promenade" from the "Pictures At An Exhibition" suite (by Modest Mussorgsky) as music for a level. I think it would be very appropiate for the pack, since all that suite was inspired by actual pictures.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 14, 2017, 10:03:20 PM
is this going to just focus on western classical art or is there going to be art/music from other cultures?

It will mostly be based off of the styles in the Western and European world, but the first rank does have levels modeled after African, south American, and Asian landscapes.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: nin10doadict on February 15, 2017, 04:37:16 AM
These look very pretty. Hard as all get out, probably too much so for me, but that's the norm around here. :D Most of my levels don't look nearly this good. I subscribe more to the strategy of "throw stuff together and make the puzzle work because I'm lazy and can't be bothered to make it look nice."
Also very yes you should use "Pictures at an Exhibition" for music at some point. Love that song.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Flopsy on February 15, 2017, 04:34:27 PM
I wouldn't worry nin10doadict, I feel like that a lot when I see a lot of other people's level pack levels as well.

I too feel that my levels suffer from lack of artisticness because I focus on making a puzzle work rather than how the level looks.

I think there are many different types of Lemmings level creators on here, some like to make their levels look visually appealing while making good levels and some don't focus on looks and make their levels stand out in other ways.

I think this project looks great Arty, it's a great idea to make a cultural Lemmings level pack. I'll be keeping an eye on this one :)
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: chrisleec728 on February 24, 2017, 11:13:22 PM
Yes, Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" would be an excellent choice as background music, but I think you should try to find a way to also fit in Rachmaninoff's "Isle of the Dead", Hindemith's "Mathis der Maler", Granados' "Goyescas" and Respighi's "Botticelli Triptych" (all inspired by painters or paintings) in there.

I actually don't think Classical music and Neoclassical music are the same thing. I think Neoclassical music is a musical period in the 20th century where composers of the era looked to the past for inspiration (Bach, Mozart and the like). Some good examples: Stravinsky's "Pulcinella" (and other works he composed around that time), Prokofiev's "Classical" Symphony", Respighi's "The Birds" and maybe Rodrigo's "Fantasia para un gentilhombre".

In fact, 20th century classical music has a wide variety of styles, and Stravinsky actually wrote in quite a few of them. Impressionism is of course well known in both a visual and musical medium (Debussy and Ravel), and maybe you could even find a way to include an atonal composition (Schoenberg, Berg and Webern) in the pack.

Overall this is an AMAZING idea for a pack and I will definitely keep an eye out for progress on it.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 24, 2017, 11:29:40 PM
Well, thank you! I always love hearing positive things about my pack! :D

I am aware that NeoClassical music and Classical music are different. It's confusing because the Classical era of music happened at the same time as the NeoClassical era of art. I also know there are other music/art eras such as Impressionism, Modernism, post-modernism, minimalism, etc. but if I included all of those this pack will be in development until at least 2021! I'm kind of clumping them all into the Modern ranking.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Proxima on February 27, 2017, 06:44:53 PM
If anyone has any classical music they'd really like in the pack, let me know! I may end up creating a level around it!

I could give quite a few suggestions, but I don't want to overload you, so maybe you could give an idea of how many pieces you've already chosen (and how many for each era)? For now, I'll just say that one of my favourites of Bach's compositions is the Prelude and Fugue in B minor: Wikipedia has a public-domain recording (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bach-WTK-2-b-minor.ogg).
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 27, 2017, 08:38:04 PM
I updated the third post to include music I am using in the pack.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: mobius on February 27, 2017, 10:51:01 PM
I was waiting to tell you in IRC but you never come on there anymore :P

This pack looks really good so far! :thumbsup: very artistic. Is this what that sample level from my stream was from? If so, then this pack will be crazy difficult too.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 27, 2017, 10:58:11 PM
Thanks mobius!

Yes, Journey to Futility is from the Modern rank. It's currently level 3, but it will be pushed up once I make more levels. Rest assured, this pack is not for beginners, but it still has enough "easy" levels that anyone can enjoy some of it, but only experts will be able to complete it.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Wafflem on February 28, 2017, 03:47:19 PM
There's also some songs from the Nutcracker. Three songs you can use:
1. The Nutcracker, Op. 71: Overture (note that this song also appears in Sega Master System Lemmings).
2. The Nutcracker, Op.71 No. 2 March
3. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Some other classical musics that could work for this pack:
1. First Gymnopedie, by Erik Satie
2. Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy
3. Rondo in C by Beethoven
4. Also sprach Zarathursta by Richard Strauss
5. The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss, heard in the Space levels of Lemmings 2: The Tribes

Also, does Scott Joplin's music work in this pack? You've heard these songs in my gameplays of Chip's Challenge. Songs like "The Entertainer", "Maple Leaf Rag", "The Ragtime Dance" , "Something Doing" (also in NepsterLems), and "Wall Street Rag" come to mind.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on February 28, 2017, 06:49:22 PM
Great suggestions! I love the Nutcracker Suite, but I need to be judicious in which ones are used, otherwise 90% of the Romantic rank will play Nutcracker music. ;P
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Ron_Stard on February 28, 2017, 08:42:08 PM
Also, does Scott Joplin's music work in this pack? You've heard these songs in my gameplays of Chip's Challenge. Songs like "The Entertainer", "Maple Leaf Rag", "The Ragtime Dance" , "Something Doing" (also in NepsterLems), and "Wall Street Rag" come to mind.

James Scott was also a great "ragtimer". I think his "Broadway Rag" is a joyfull song for a level.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: mobius on February 28, 2017, 10:47:59 PM
I reccomend:

Seigfreid's Funeral March by Richard Wagner
Fantasy in F Minor, Chopin
Scherzo in B flat Minor, Chopin
Reflections in the Water, Debussy
The "Images" by Debussy are short and maybe good for this (that's what Reflections is from)
Violin something (concerto?) in D major, Brahams
Watz in.... I forget by Brahams, it's a short song.
Consolation by Franz List
The Planets; Gustav Holst
Bolero, Ravel

for contemporary artists; try anything by Arvo Part, I highly recommend! [but especially Fratres for Cello and Piano)

If you want to include anything by Scott Joplin I can give you the files from Chips challenge which is certain to be copy right free. My favorites are Weeping Willow, Heliotrope Boquet, Magnetic Rag, Paragon Rag, Wallstreet and Scot Joplin's New Rag.

good suggestions by others. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Gronkling on February 28, 2017, 11:58:33 PM
The ars nova piece 'Messe de Notre Dame' is really good for the Medieval section if you want genuine music from then, it's just chant though (like most western medieval music). It was revolutionary for the time though because two different melodies were sung at once! Nearly all chant before that was only one melody sung by everyone.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: mobius on March 01, 2017, 01:37:25 AM
that reminds me of "Scarborough Fair" which is a song also from the Medieval period.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on April 02, 2017, 10:17:25 PM
Well, it happened. I can't remember how to beat one of my levels (A Night on Lem Mountain for the curious), and apparently I don't have any replays of it. :-[ Has this ever happened to anyone else?
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: exit on April 02, 2017, 11:38:29 PM
It's happened to me before. :-[

I would suggest trying to solve it, and if you don't manage to do so (perhaps you're better at making difficult levels than solving them), ask somebody on the forums via PM to take a look if they have time. There's also the possibility of you having made a change you forgot about that made it impossible to solve (for example, you could've been making a change, realized you wanted to do something else, saved the level while it was impossible/still in the process of being changed, and later forgot to complete the change).
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on April 02, 2017, 11:51:50 PM
Glad to know it's happened to someone else too.

The problem is, I remember there being backroutes in the level that I forgot to seal, and I'm afraid I won't be able to find the intended solution. Thanks for the advice though; I'll try it.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Flopsy on April 03, 2017, 12:51:11 AM
It's happened to me as well Arty, my way around this is making sure I always make a successful replay file of the intended solution when I've finished a level and I make this a MUST.

There's still one SEB Lems level where I cannot remember the solution to it at the time of typing this lol
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on April 03, 2017, 04:16:56 PM
Geez Louise, this level is hard. I've tried so many different things, and everything I try just doesn't work, so I'm opening this up. If anyone wants to try to solve this level, just PM me, and I'll send you the level+music.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on April 07, 2017, 04:16:17 AM
Thanks to bulletride for finding the new official solution to A Night on Lem Mountain, although the original solution should still exist.

Also, I'm creating a level that requires me to write a program in Python to help build it. It's extremely slow progress, but it should be worth it (hopefully).
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: nin10doadict on April 07, 2017, 06:01:27 PM
Talk about a dedication to your craft... :o
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: chrisleec728 on September 02, 2017, 12:42:53 PM
Handel and other great Renaissance composers

I should also point out that Handel is usually considered a Baroque composer, not Renaissance. Other than that, awesome.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on September 02, 2017, 02:21:54 PM
Was he really? My art history class taught us he was a Renaissance composer. I'll have to look into that.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on September 23, 2017, 03:48:48 AM
Couple of announcements to make here.

Yes, I am still making this pack. Progress has not been as fast as I hoped it would be when I announced it, and there are many, many reasons for this. One of these reasons is that I want to make this pack truly extraordinary and accurate to the art periods. I want someone to see a level in a given rank, and immediately be able to see the connection between it and the art period. This is even harder than it sounds, and looking back at several levels, I do not think I did this justice, which has convinced me to touch up some levels, and scrap others.

Another thing that has been bothering me is the music. I want each period to have music representative of the art period. The Ancient and Medieval eras are tricky, because little to no recorded music exists from those times, so I have to improvise with things that simply sound accurate to the period. The problem is, these tend to not be royalty free and/or public domain. I feel it would do this pack a great injustice to not have unique music selected for each level to perfectly compliment the atmosphere, but at the same time, I do not want people to be detracted from playing this pack due to large downloads and/or getting potential video solutions taken down because of the music. It's a big dilemma, and one that I've struggled with for a while now.

Please let me know which of these is most important to you:

1) That the music is public-domain and royalty-free
2) That the music comes from the time period the level is based on (if possible)
3) That the music complements the level, even if it's technically out-of-place for the time period

Also, for the Modernist rank, I currently have mostly video game music/remixes playing on the levels. At first, I liked this, because I know of a ton of great tracks I wanted to include, but looking back, I feel this doesn't accurately reflect the true nature of Modernist music, so I may change/scrap quite a few levels in that rank, because they were based around the music track (such as Hailfire Peaks).

Playing ParaLems, Lemmings Migration, and now SEB Lems has gotten me back into the Lemmings mood, but I still feel like I have little to no good ideas for any ArtLems levels, at least, not levels I consider to be good enough for this pack.

Sorry for the ramble; hopefully this gives you guys a good idea of where I'm at right now in regards to ArtLems. I feel it was time for an update since I've been quiet on the details of this for a long time now.

P.S. Thanks chrisleec728 for pointing out Handel was a Baroque composer and not a Renaissance composer; I had no idea, and you just saved me from looking like a complete idiot when I released the pack! ;P
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Flopsy on September 23, 2017, 11:35:57 AM
Speaking for the Let's Play part of the community which seems to consist of me, yourself and IchoTolot mainly.

Seeing as you're playing my first Lemmings pack on YT right this minute, I've just experienced for the first time what it's like to have someone playing your pack and giving great detailed feedback on it as it comes to them. So for that reason, I can see the lure of having things being YT friendly since watching LPs of someone playing your pack is truly a great experience! :)

I feel it's important that the music is royalty free and will not cause issues with YouTube videos.
When choosing the music for SEB Lems, I did use music which will get flagged but it will just mean ads can appear on your videos. Now I'm sure there is no one here who is bothered by that because I don't know anyone on here who monetises their videos and it's not really practical to do so because our Lemmings videos will never hit over 200 views in their lifetime!

Now the ones I avoided like the plagued were songs which could get your video muted, I've been caught out before when doing my Lix videos (mostly by Hatsune Miku tracks which are a new can of worms when it comes to licensing - the tracks are listed on YT in Japanese for starters!).

You need to find a good balance between choosing good music that fits the pack, music that you're happy with but at the same time you're not going to have the perfect choice of music to choose from, some tracks are off limits and you just have to live with it. It's not an easy balance to find.

Regarding your choices, I think 1 and 2 are most important to me. I think go to 3 as a last resort if you fail to fully satisfy 2 to your own satisfaction!
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: chrisleec728 on September 23, 2017, 01:29:07 PM
Thanks for the update. Also, you're welcome; with all due respect to your art history teacher, I'm honestly not sure what they were talking about or why they would teach such a thing. It seems like pretty common knowledge to me.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on September 23, 2017, 07:56:29 PM
Thanks for the input Flopsy. I will make sure that no music in the pack causes videos to be muted (SubLems had that problem). I'm not exactly sure how to check if music will get a video muted or not though...
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Flopsy on September 23, 2017, 08:35:33 PM
Thanks for the input Flopsy. I will make sure that no music in the pack causes videos to be muted (SubLems had that problem). I'm not exactly sure how to check if music will get a video muted or not though...

Usually if you're unsure, just upload a short video with the track playing clearly in it. It has to be a video file though otherwise YT won't accept it.

Usually after uploading it, you will immediately know what YT has done with it.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on September 24, 2017, 07:20:52 PM
I'm not sure if that will work, because that one SubLems track that got your video partially muted was not muted for my video.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on November 20, 2017, 04:30:53 AM
Good news! I had a great burst of creativity the past few weeks, and got ideas for many new levels for the pack! After culling a level or two and adding the new ones, I have broken the 50 level mark, so as of now, the pack is a little over 1/3 of the way complete! :D

Not only that, but there are now lots of levels that I have started making, and when those get finished, I'll be up to over 60 levels.

I'm still debating over whether to release a demo before the pack is completed or not. On one hand, the demo gets people (hopefully) excited about playing the completed pack, but on the other hand, a demo means fewer levels to look forward to come the actual release. Would people like a demo or not?

Alternatively, because I have removed many levels from the pack, I could release a "demo" consisting of the levels that were removed, which are still not bad at all. That would give people an idea of what to expect, without spoiling anything from the actual pack.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Strato Incendus on November 20, 2017, 01:16:36 PM
I think the rejected levels you can certainly demo; perhaps some of them might find their way back in? Especially if people come up with more interesting solution than what you might have intended.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on November 20, 2017, 02:29:02 PM
Maybe, but many of the levels were rejected because their architecture were not reflective enough of the art period they were in, so it will be hard for them to make it back in.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on December 04, 2017, 03:19:40 AM
I updated the level preview screenshots (hopefully) for the last time. (See the initial post)

At this point, I have so many ideas for levels (either in terms of architecture or tentative solution) but it's just a matter of getting off of my lazy butt and making them. :-[
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic
Post by: Colorful Arty on May 22, 2018, 12:39:54 AM
Thanks to everyone who joined in my level design stream for this pack! I had a ton of fun designing levels with an audience, and it's made me realize my own laziness is the main thing slowing down this pack. As such, I'm going to try to set a deadline for myself to finish the pack.

My tentative deadline is to release this on February 14th 2019 (Lemmings Day, the 2 year anniversary of when I announced this pack, and the 3 year anniversary of when I started LPing Lemmings stuff). My hope is giving myself a deadline will force me to work on the pack and not give into laziness. If all goes well, I hope to see you all then with this beauty of a pack finished. :)
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic (Progress Postponed)
Post by: Colorful Arty on July 25, 2018, 12:22:33 AM
So... the whole deadline thing has not worked at all. I have no motivation to make Lemmings levels these days, and there is no way the pack will be finished by Lemmings day. I'm not saddened by this, because I know that cancelling the deadline will ensure the pack will be much higher quality because of it.

Because of my lack of interest in making levels, I'm postponing progress in this pack. The pack is not cancelled; but I want to do it right, and that won't happen if I rush it and make levels I am not proud of. My hope is if I come back to this pack in the future, I will be filled with creative inspiration and enthusiasm and give this community a high-quality level pack!
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic (Progress Postponed)
Post by: Colorful Arty on October 18, 2018, 01:06:46 AM
I've thought a lot about this pack for the past week (Nessy and I had a short chat in IRC about it recently) and I have made several decisions that I think will help the pack a lot in the long run. I think the main problems I am facing with this pack are:

1) Starting in rank 3, I've been trying to have a "Central trick" for every level. I don't think this is a good thing because a lot of people don't like trick levels, there are only so many cool tricks out there, backroutes are nearly impossible to seal while keeping the artistic design of the levels, and my favorite levels from the pack aren't trick levels anyways. ;P

2) The final rank is a mess. It's got a few levels with the Art theme, but also a lot of levels that I feel don't fit the theme of the pack. I feel like the final rank should keep with the Art theme to respect the pack as a whole, and the levels I had planned for the final rank should either go in a bonus rank, or a different pack altogether.

3) I don't have enough music planned for the pack, especially in the Renaissance and Modern ranks.

4) My own laziness. By far the biggest roadblock. :(

My plans for finishing the pack are to stop worrying about levels' difficulties, since my recent contest entries (like WaterWorks) I didn't think were that hard, but people thought otherwise. Not requiring central tricks to levels I think will not only make the levels more enjoyable, but also a bit easier (so fewer people will be scared of the pack). This may make the ranks less consistent in difficulty, but I feel that's not as important as finishing the pack or keeping with the theme of the pack as a whole.

The Modern rank will likely not include video game music as I originally planned.

I think my biggest next step toward continuing the pack is to just listen to some classical music for inspiration. This will simultaneously help me find music and give me ideas for levels to make.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic (Progress Postponed)
Post by: chrisleec728 on October 18, 2018, 01:48:24 AM
Not sure how much it'll help, but "Classical Music for Dummies" is one of the best books I've ever read.
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic (Progress Postponed)
Post by: Colorful Arty on October 18, 2018, 01:51:13 AM
I read that too in highschool! It was absolutely hilarious and insightful at the same time! XD
Title: Re: ArtLems - Development Topic (Progress Postponed)
Post by: 607 on November 03, 2018, 02:41:23 PM
This sounds amazing. :)
Title: ArtLems (Cancelled)
Post by: Colorful Arty on July 26, 2019, 01:20:31 AM
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that I am cancelling ArtLems for a variety of reasons.

1) The biggest reason by far is that I have not made ANY progress on this pack for well over a year now, nor do I have even the slightest interest of continuing. Making this pack feels like a chore rather than a fun project (which it did start as). One of the reasons for this is my very high standards for the levels (much higher than my contest levels). They have to look amazing, reflect the time period, have a music track that fits perfectly, and has a beautiful solution. Needless to say, such high standards mean making levels for it is nigh-on impossible, because I never have ideas that are good enough. I'll often have an idea for what a level should look like, but I cannot get a good solution to it. Rampant backroutes have also been a problem, and sealing them almost always makes the level look bad afterwards. The extremely high difficulty I wanted for the pack didn't help either. I tried toning down my standards for music, art, and difficulty, but none worked at all. :/

2) Because the pack heavily relies on classical music (being the main theme of the pack), and the fact that most classical music you can get online you cannot share due to royalties or copyrighting associated with the performance of the pieces (not the piece itself) means people won't be able to play on Youtube or Twitch or wherever, which is a bit of a bummer. Not to mention the pieces are long which make the download very large (and they don't loop well).

3) I feel like I rushed into this project without thinking about it. I started work on the pack shortly after SubLems was released initially on NeoLemmix and in reality, I just wanted to make more levels. I decided on this theme on a whim when taking an art/music history class and thought it was a cool idea. It was cool, but way too restrictive. 99% of the time when I had an idea for a level, it was one that couldn't work for this pack. I also like designing levels around music, and most music I listen to and get ideas for levels for are not classical music, again dampening my will to work on this pack. :(

This was not an easy decision, but it is one I do not intend to go back on. Please understand my reasons. Making Lemmings levels is something that should be fun, and this pack hasn't really been fun to work on for a few years now. I had a lot of fun at the beginning when I was hot off of the concept and actually had a few great ideas for levels, but those ideas really started to fizzle out after like the 35 level mark or so. :'(


HOWEVER!

It's not all bad news! Every level that I have made for this pack will be released to the public! A lot of them can be released in a different pack, and I may release a tiny pack with the heavily art-themed ones (such as the Ancient and Medieval ranks; those were actually really fun to work on, mainly because of their lower difficulty). SubLems will be getting a large update for the new formats release, and I may release a lot of these levels under a bonus rank or two there. Or I may make a new less-restrictive pack with these levels and more in the future. Not sure yet, but my hard work and your waiting won't be for naught! I will make sure of that!

Sorry for the downer news. I hope people aren't too upset about this. :)
Title: Re: ArtLems (Cancelled)
Post by: chrisleec728 on July 26, 2019, 01:41:44 AM
I'll admit I feel a little disappointed about this (considering it's the coolest idea ever in my opinion), but it happens sometimes. Perhaps the idea was TOO good, if that makes sense. I feel the same way about Spotify playlists sometimes: I get a cool idea but for one reason or another it fails.
Title: Re: ArtLems (Cancelled)
Post by: Strato Incendus on July 27, 2019, 02:04:22 PM
I also thought this might be a pack I could try my hands on, given that SubLems was probably the pack I've enjoyed the most so far! :) And based on that, I didn't expect ArtLems to be as exceedingly difficult as, say, Lemmings United or other recently-released packs.

I'm looking forward to the release of what you have already created for this pack, though! :thumbsup: I only have the "Lost Art Pieces" so far.
Title: Re: ArtLems (Cancelled)
Post by: Simon on July 27, 2019, 06:45:43 PM
35 satisfying levels is still strong. Absolutely no shame in releasing the 35 as they are. Not every release must be a pack, and not every pack must have 100 levels.

-- Simon
Title: Re: ArtLems (Cancelled)
Post by: SQron188 on July 29, 2019, 04:06:45 PM
I've briefly touched on/participated in a conversation regarding this subject in voice chat recently, so just a few more words here:
I think it's good that you've already made some levels that you're happy with - and that you'll publish them. This should help you bounce back. Don't let the cancellation of this pack get to you.
And no one should give you the cold shoulder just because you've put the project on ice! :D